In the current information age, information technology (IT) tools are extensively used in enterprises and other organizations in order to facilitate processing of documents and data. IT administrators typically have the responsibilities of monitoring and managing IT assets, such as computers, printers, scanners, multi-function devices (MFDs) and other network-connected or standalone devices.
IT management tools (such as application software) are available to IT administrators to assist the administrators with performing their duties. Such management applications commonly include an alert notification feature wherein a notification is transmitted to an administrator to notify the administrator of any of various predetermined notable, or even dangerous or potentially dangerous, conditions within the IT environment that the administrator oversees. For example, when a problem or alert condition occurs in or at a network-connected device, an alert notification may be generated and transmitted to the administrator to inform the administrator of the problem or condition.
There is a drawback, however, in that a large number of alert notifications may be transmitted to the IT administrator, such as when, for example, the administrator oversees a large number of IT assets. Such large numbers of alert notifications may overwhelm the IT administrator, and affect the ability of the administrator to efficiently manage the IT environment. For example, it may become difficult for the IT administrator to differentiate between an alert notification identifying an error occurring at a device performing a non-critical function, and an alert notification identifying an error occurring at a device performing a critical function (such as a device needed for an important meeting or conference, or a device needed by an executive or a high-level official) that requires immediate attention.
There exists a need for improvements to error report management within an IT system.